HEMET: City of Hemet’s Annual Christmas Parade celebrates spirit of volunteering
A Hemet tradition spanning more than 100 years
Crowds packed Florida Avenue to watch this years’ Christmas parade. Will Whelan photo
HEMET – Holiday revelers from all over the San Jacinto Valley and beyond came out to show their Christmas spirit and cheer during this year’s City of Hemet’s Annual Christmas Parade.
This year’s parade, which was held Saturday, Dec. 3, was a tremendous success, according to many of those who participated in and watched the annual event.
With four car clubs, 12 school bands, four equestrian groups that brought more than 50 horses, over 100 group entries, and 4,000 participants, those who participated in the parade represented a broad variety of interests, local businesses, and volunteer organizations; as well as City of Hemet dignitaries and local government entities.
The City of Hemet’s Annual Christmas Parade has been a Hemet tradition spanning more than 100 years, according to Stephany Borders, the coordinator for the city’s Christmas parade.
Children from all over San Jacinto Valley came out to enjoy the parade. City of Hemet photo
The city’s Christmas parade is the largest annual public gathering in Hemet, according to Borders. This year’s parade was watched by an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people, who lined the mile-long section of Florida Avenue where the parade was held.
“This year there was a record number of people watching the parade. The community spirit was higher than I have seen in quite sometime,” Borders said. “For me, the most rewarding part of participating in the annual parade is watching the excitement of all the children participating in and watching the parade.”
The parade route covered about one mile, starting at N. Palm and E. Florida Avenues at 10 a.m. and finishing at Kirby Street and Florida Avenue at 12:30 p.m.
The Gift of Volunteering
More than 100 groups were featured in this year’s parade. Will Whelan photo
The theme of this year’s parade was the Gift of Volunteering. “We felt that those who volunteer needed and deserved to be acknowledged,” Borders said. “I started volunteering at a young age and was surprised at how much the volunteers actually do, that is not done by the city.”
“Volunteers are the life support of every city, Borders explained. “They provide hundreds of thousands of hours each year that allow the organizations within the city to provide the services they do.”
This year’s parade line up included a variety of different groups and organizations, including the Riverside County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse, Relay for Life San Jacinto, horses and riders from Charros Rancheros of California, City of Hemet Library, Girls Scouts of San Gorgonio, Cruisin’ A’s Model A Car Club, Historic Hemet Theater, Veteran’s Day Out, Hemet Jeep Club, Search Dog Resources, Winchester Township Fire Department, Military Explorers Post III, Ramona Bowl, and many more.
The final entry to follow the parade route was the City of Hemet Fire Department. With Santa Clause waving to all the enthralled children in attendance from atop the Department’s huge ladder truck, the fire department’s entry was a huge hit.
Santa Clause was in attendance, to the delight of the children watching the parade. City of Hemet photo
“I could feel the pride, togetherness, and Christmas spirit
that this community has.”
Parade entries represented groups from all over the San Jacinto Valley. Will Whelan photo
The Grand Marshals for this year’s parade were all volunteers who were nominated by the organizations they volunteer for. They included Jenny and Fred Farrington from the Harbour Record VFW Post 2266, Allen Bowman and Will Carlson from the Hemet/San Jacinto Masonic Lodge, Lynn Peterson from the Ramona Bowl, Linda Livesay from the Hemet Chamber of Commerce, and the Valley Queens were represented by the Little Sisters.
Timothy Kubo, Nikki Lenton, and Judy Hoffman Wade were the judges for this year’s parade and they enjoyed front row seating for the parade on a stage set up in a parking lot near Lyon Street and Florida Avenue. This year’s parade announcers were Russ Utz and Trinity Houston.
After the parade, Kubo and Utz discussed why they enjoyed volunteering their time and effort to the event.
“I could feel the pride, togetherness, and Christmas spirit that this community has,” Timothy Kubo, one of this year’s parade judges said. Will Whelan photo
“Judging this years Christmas Parade was such a heart warming and humbling experience for me,” Kubo explained. “I could feel the pride, togetherness, and Christmas spirit that this community has. It was a tremendous honor for me to be able to be a part of the event.”
Utz said his favorite part of being involved in this year’s parade as an announcer was being able to be part of providing such a fun and memorable event “for the good people of the valley.”
“Volunteering is all about getting actively involved in being the change you want to see,” Utz explained. Not only do we make a direct impact, we model that positive behavior for others, especially kids; who need to understand that good things are worth putting in the work to have it.”
“A parade is only successful when people make it so.”
An estimated 12,000-15,000 people came out to show their Christmas spirit during this year’s parade. City of Hemet photo
This year the parade moved the staging area from the Walmart parking lot to the Forest River Manufacturing plant. “We were very pleased for their support,” Borders said. The Salvation Army opened their parking lot for parents dropping off their children in the parade which Borders said was a great help as well.
Borders took the time to acknowledge and thank all those in attendance who spent their day mingling with others from throughout the San Jacinto Valley. She also made a point to extend a special thank you to all the hard work from the City of Hemet’s Public Works, Police Department, Police Department Volunteers, and all the city staff for this year’s successful and well-attended parade.
“A parade is only successful when people make it so,” Borders explained. “I am so grateful for all the participants that spent their day with us.”
“Thank you to all of you who came to watch and to all of the parade entries, Borders said. “We wouldn’t have a parade without you!”
Here is the list of winners from this year’s parade.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Anyone who is interested in volunteering for next year’s Christmas parade can contact Borders at (951) 660-4910. Planning for the parade typically begins in June.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, Personnel and Background Investigations and he finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator.
Trevor has been married for more than 26 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 12 – soon to be 13 – grandchildren.
Thank you Trevor for a wonderful article!
You are very welcome Stephany! I am so glad you contacted me!
-TM